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T or F? The Loire Valley plants more black than white grapes
False: 52% white, 47% black, 1% grey
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Name the top 9 grapes planted in the Loire Valley
- Cabernet Franc: 15,729 ha (24%)
- Melon (w): 10,201 ha (16%)
- Chenin Blanc (w): 9,132 ha (14%)
- Sauvignon Blanc (w): 8,894 ha (14%)
- Gamay: 4,787 ha (7%)
- Chardonnay (w): 2,739 ha (4%)
- Grolleau: 2,100 ha (3%)
- Pinot Noir: 2,088 ha (3%)
- Cabernet Sauvignon: 1,377 ha (2%)
- Other Red: 4,537 ha (7%)
- Other White/Grey: 3,241 (5%)
- Source: France AgriMer, 2014
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Name the 6 white grapes and their synonyms that are 52% of Loire Valley plantings
- Melon: Muscadet
- Chenin Blanc: Plant d'Anjou, Gros Pineau, Pineau de la Loire, Pineau d'Anjou
- Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvignon Fumé in Sancerre, Blanc Fumé in Pouilly
- Chardonnay: no synonyms in the Loire
- Folle Blanche: Gros Plant (big vine)
- Menu Pineau: Arbois, Orbois -- menu means tiny in French
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Name the 6 white grapes and plantings that are 52% of Loire Valley plantings
- Melon: 10,310 ha / 25,476 acres (32%)
- Chenin Blanc: 9,132 ha / 22,566 acres (28.3%)
- Sauvignon Blanc: 8,894 ha / 21,978 acres (27.6%)
- Chardonnay: 2,739 ha / 6,768 acres (8.5%)
- Folle Blanche: 974 ha / 2,407 acres (3%)
- Menu Pineau: 170 ha / 420 acres (0.5%)
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Which Loire Valley grapes are offspring of Gouais Blanc?
- Gouais Blanc X Pinot: Melon, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir
- Gouais Blanc offspring: Folle Blanc, Menu Pineau, Grolleau Noir
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Which Loire Valley grapes are offspring of Savagnin?
Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc
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T or F? Chenin Blanc is planted in 5 départements
- True: but 90% lies within Maine-et-Loire and Idre-et-Loire
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T or F? Melon and Gamay Noir were officially banished from Bourgogne
True: however Dutch traders found it suitable for the base for brandy
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T or F? Melon is the most widely-planted white variety in the Muscadet appellations
True: however, its acreage is declining
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T or F? South Africa has the most vineyards planted to Chenin Blanc in the world
True: By far with 17,890 ha (44,207 acres). France is second worldwide with 9,612 ha (95% Loire 9,132 ha, 5% Languedoc-Roussillon 480 ha).
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Describe the Melon variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Gouais Blanc X Pinot cross, sibling to Chardonnay and Gamay Noir
- Clusters: small and compact bunches, small berries
- Ripens: early
- Resistant: frost
- Wine: crisp, light, acidic, subtle citris, minerality, suited to lees aging
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Describe the Chenin Blanc variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Anjou, Savagnin offspring, named after the Montchenin monastery in Corméry, south of Touraine
- Buds/Ripens: early, average
- Resistant: cold, wind, disease
- Susceptible: botrytis, powdery mildew and rot
- Wine: sparkling, dry, sweet; high acidity, high extract, complex, reductive, ageworthy
- Aromas: apple, rhubarb, quince, tangerine, peach, apricot, chamomile, linden, grain, marzipan
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Describe the Sauvignon Blanc variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Eastern Loire, Savagnin offspring, "sauvage" in French means "wild"
- Clusters: small and compact
- Ripens: early to average
- Susceptible: botrytis, powerdery mildew and rot
- Terroir: prefers cool, sunny climates, marl, limestone, flint
- Aromas: Green (pyrazine) if early harvest, passion fruit, melon and kiwi if more sunlight
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Describe the Chardonnay variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Mâconnais village of same name, Gouais Blanc X Pinot
- Buds/Ripens: early
- Susceptible: frost
- Terroir: limestone or limestone-rich marls
- Wine: sparkling
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Describe the Folle Blanche variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Cognac or Armagnac, Gouais Blanc offspring, planted in Lower Loire
- Buds/Ripens: early, early
- Clusters: compact
- Susceptible: rot
- Wine: high acidity, low alcohol, delicate and light
- Aromas: citrus and green apple
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Describe the Menu Pineau variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Touraine, Gouais Blanc offspring
- Ripens: vigorous with short growing cycle
- Wine: adds softness to Chenin Blanc's acidic character
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Name 3 minor white grapes of the Loire
- Romorantin: Cour-Cheverny AOC, 60 ha/148 acres, buds early but hard to fully ripen, bright acidity, citrus, honeyed savory notes
- Sacy: known as Tressallier in Saint-Pourçain AOC, sparkling blends
- Chasselas: Pouilly-sur-Loire AOC, 30 ha/74 acres, native to Switzerland but named after a village in Bourgogne, light and fruity, low acidity, used mainly for table grapes and juice
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T or F? A Gouis Blanc X Pinot cross may be either a black or white variety
True: Gamay Noir is black while Melon, Chardonnay, Sacy are white
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Name the grey grapes (and their synonyms) that are 1% of Loire Valley plantings
- Grolleau Gris: 454 ha (1,122 acres, 53%)
- Pinot Gris (Malvoisie, Pinot Beurot): 218 ha (559 acres, 26%)
- Sauvignon Gris (Fié, Fié Gris): 178 ha (440 acres, 21%)
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Name the black grapes and their synonyms that are 47% of Loire Valley plantings
- Cabernet Franc: Breton (from Brittany)
- Gamay:
- Grolleau:
- Pinot Noir: Auvernat, Orléanais, Berligou
- Cabernet Sauvignon:
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Describe the Cabernet Franc variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Basque grapes Morenoa and Hondarribi Beltza
- Bud/Ripens: early, early
- Terroir: prefers clay, limestone, sand; prefers cool weather but prone to poor berry set if too cool, windy, or wet
- Wine: red, pink, sparkling; moderate tannin, pigment, acidity, alcohol
- Aromas: tea, forest floor, leather, hints of violet, strawberry, cranberry, blackberry, herbaceous (methoxypyrazines)if picked before phenolic ripeness
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Describe the Gamay Noir à jus blanc variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Gouais Blanc X Pinot, named after a Côte d'Or village (Gamay) near Saint-Aubin, planted in Touraine in 1830
- Buds/Ripens: early, early
- Resistant: thin skin, prone to grey rot and wood diseases
- Terroir: prefers siliceous clay, granitic soils
- Wine: bright acidy, soft tannins
- Aromas: red fruit and flowers
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Describe the Grolleau Noir variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Touraine, Gouais Blanc offspring, blanc and gris color mutations, grolle means black crow
- Clusters: large, compact
- Wine: sparkling, pink; high acidity, low alcohol
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Describe the Pinot Noir variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Bourgogne, blanc, gris color mutations, parent with Gouais Blanc to 2 dozen varieties
- Buds/Ripens: early, early
- Terroir: prefers limestone and marl
- Wine: good acidity, moderate tannins
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Describe the Côt (Malbec) variety and wine made from it
- Origin: Cahors, Pruneland X Magdeleine Noire des Charentes, sibling of Merlot
- Ripens: harvested 10 days after Cabernet Franc (ripens early)
- Susceptible: frost, cold, coulure
- Terroir: prefers limestone
- Wine: moderate acid and tannin
- Aromas: dark blue fruit
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Describe the Pineau d'Aunis variety and wine made from it
- Origin: named for pinecone-shaped bunches (pineau) and a coastal province (Aunis)
- Terroir: prefers limestone
Aunis is a historical province in the northwest of the Charente-Maritime department including the city of La Rochelle
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Name 4 minor black grapes of the Loire
- Cabernet Sauvignon: Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc X Sauvignon Blanc cross
- Merlot: Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc X Magdeleine Noire des Charentes cross
- Négrette: unknown origin, used in Fiefs Vendéens blends for fragrance and pigment
- Meunier: Pinot Noir mutation, used in Touraine Noble-Joué and Orléans rosé wines
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What is the difference between "geographical area" and "immediate proximity area" in the regulations?
Cahier des Charges sections:
"Geographical area" (1° Aire géographique): where you can grow grapes; the WSG manuals quote only the communes that can grow grapes.
- "Immediate Proximity area" (3° Aire de proximité immédiate):
where you can produce the wine but not grow grapes
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What is the difference between "assembly rules" and "proportion rules" in the regulations?
Cahier des Charges sections:
"Assembly rules" (1°a - Assemblage des cépages): how the wine must be blended usually giving the winemaker some leeway. In general, the WSG manuals will talk about the assembly rules and will say what typical blends are.
"Proportion rules" (2° - Règles de proportion à l’exploitation): what must be planted in the vineyard. Think of it as the standard of what is typical for the style of wine made in the area.
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Name 2 varieties that are offspring of Magdeleine Noire des Charentes
- Merlot: Cabernet Franc cross
- Côt (Malbec): Pruneland cross
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